Question

Lysosomes are also mainly called as
a. Suicide bags
b. Killer bags
c. Secretory vesicles
d. Suicide hormones

Answer 1

As we know that Lysosomes are the cellular organelles which contain the digestive enzymes responsible for breakdown of waste material and foreign particles that have entered into the cells. They help the cells to process their nutrients as well as destroy the cell after it has died.

Complete answer:
• Lysosomes are the single membrane bound cellular organelles which are responsible for breakdown of waste material as well as foreign material inside the cell by secreting various digestive enzymes.
• They also breakdown the excess of cell parts and destroy the invading bacteria and viruses. They are very small in size and the pH of their lumen is optimal for enzymes involved in hydrolytic properties. It also helps the cell in repairing the damaged plasma membrane, apoptosis process and cell signalling.
• Lysosomes acting as waste disposal systems, engulf the foreign particle as well as cellular debris by the process of endocytosis forming a vacuole like pouch around the foreign or waste material and produce various digestive enzymes called lytic enzymes that help in breaking down and digesting these waste material.
• So when these lysosomes burst, the lytic enzymes fall on the membrane of cells and result in bursting of these cells including the death of cells.
• That is why they are also called the suicidal bags as they contain the hydrolytic enzyme which helps in autolysis of the cell thereby resulting in the death of the cell.

Hence, the correct answer is option (a).

Note: The pH of the lysosomes is acidic in nature and it is around 5 and this is why the hydrolytic enzymes bring out autolysis of cells because they work properly under this pH. Lysosomes are also called rubbish disposal units as they digest the waste material and useless parts of a cell that can harm the cell.